Spanning England’s post-2015 Cricket World Cup revolution that led them to glory four years later, which also took in a T20 World Cup win in 2022, and then the white-ball side’s struggles since, there has been one constant: Adil Rashid.

The veteran leg-spinner made his international debut way back in 2009 as a fresh-faced 21-year-old but would endure a six-year wait for his sixth cap in either format, with England’s white-ball approach stuck in the dark ages.

But has been a near ever-present since – and is only getting better, too.

“Rashid is like red wine, he gets better and better,” former India player and coach Ravi Shastri said after the 36-year-old’s match-winning four-over spell of 1-15 in England’s third T20 win in Rajkot on Tuesday that keeps the five-match series alive.

Rashid’s figures may not leap off the page, with only one wicket taken, but it was the context surrounding that solitary strike and his spell that highlighted his importance.

Rashid assesses conditions and stars vs India

England’s quicks – Jofra Archer, Brydon Carse and Mark Wood – had blasted out India’s top order inside the opening six-over powerplay, but when Rashid was handed the ball, the game was very much still in the balance.

India needed 110 to win from 13 overs (78 balls) with Tilak Varma still at the crease.

The in-form batting prodigy was fresh from hitting an unbeaten 318 across his previous four T20 international innings, including a magnificent 72 off 55 balls that saw his side to victory in the second match of the series.

Six deliveries later, Rashid had seen the back of him for only 18, the classy left-handed operator bowled by the perfect leg-break delivery to beat his defences in the eighth over.

Rashid had perfectly judged the conditions, using all of his 122 T20 caps worth of experience to assess that the pace he needed to bowl on the belting Rajkot batting wicket was a touch slower.

Though Tilak would be his only victim on this occasion, he still managed to bamboozle a fair few more India batters with his flight and guile over his four-over spell, one which left the hosts well behind the required rate, suddenly needing 82 from the final six overs upon its conclusion.

Rashid remains vital lieutenant for Buttler

Those years of experience and know-how are proving vital for captain Jos Buttler and new white-ball head coach Brendon McCullum as they look to reshape this faltering unit that has badly flattered to deceive since their T20 World Cup win in 2022.

A dismal 50-over World Cup defence followed a year later, with six defeats in nine consigning them to a shock group-stage exit and, although they’d reach the semi-finals of the 2024 T20 tournament, they were fortunate to even make it that far after defeats to Australia and South Africa along the way.

Gone since, for a variety of reasons spanning form, fitness and retirement, are Jonny Bairstow, Moeen Ali, Ben Stokes, Chris Jordan and Chris Woakes, staples of the white-ball set up over the past decade.

In their place for this India tour are a young, though immensely talented crop including the likes of Jacob Bethell, Jamie Smith and Jamie Overton.

Among England’s playing XI on Tuesday, Liam Livingstone’s 58 T20I caps – less than half of Buttler’s 132 and Rashid’s 122 – is the closest to England’s most experienced pair.

It’s no wonder the captain so values his veteran leg-spinning lieutenant in Rashid.

“Adil is the most important player in our team,” Buttler said after Tuesday’s victory that keeps the series alive, England trailing 2-1 with two to play. “He was fantastic tonight.

“He has so many variations, so many different styles of bowling, so we are fortunate to have him in our team.”

It’s such a sought-after skill-set that has catapulted Rashid to the top of the T20I world rankings, too, taking him above West Indies’ Akeal Hosein.

If England are to clinch a comeback series win in India, to start the Buttler-McCullum era with a bang, you can be assured that Rashid will have a hand in the turnaround.

England in India – results and fixtures

All times UK and Ireland

• First ODI (Nagpur): Thursday February 6 (8am)
• Second ODI (Cuttack): Sunday February 9 (8am)
• Third ODI (Ahmedabad): Wednesday February 12 (8am)